Mirror

Psalm 19:13-14

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

It occurred to me today during my worship leading class just how much of human behavior is reactionary and based on emotions or personal preferences. We were discussing the different worship movements in the church starting with traditional and how contemporary was a reaction to that, and now emerging worship is a reaction to contemporary, etc. I then made the distinction that all of these "worship movements" are based on our personal preferences, which in a faith that touts Jesus as the One we serve (not the other way around) seems kind of hypocritical, or somewhat pointless at the least.

The same can be said of our every day behavior. How often does someone say something that angers you, and before you know it, you throw back a particularly nasty barb to hurt them back? I know I do this all the time, or at least I used to. It's a habit I'm trying to get out of. When we act from a purely reactionary standpoint, we're only thinking of ourselves. If we could take a step back and evaluate the situation; God forbid, even try to see where the other person is coming from, we might be able to avoid some heavy conflict. How often as Christians do we let our pride get in the way? Maybe not in our relationship with God, but certainly with other believers. This isn't new: after all, Paul reprimanded the Corinthian believers for this quarreling (1 Cor. 3:2-4). If we truly love our brothers and sisters, wouldn't we try to interact with them using grace and mercy? Sounds like common sense, right?

But obviously it's not, if the church is so divided. How many different denominations are there? I don't know them all! And beyond that, there are sub-denominations- we argue about the right way to do this or the right way to do that. Can you imagine what the Father does when He watches us fight? I think maybe He might just hang His head in exasperation wondering when we'll learn. As the saying goes, Jesus is coming back one day, and He's coming back for a Bride, not a harem.

James 3:8 says no one can tame the tongue, and I've seen this to be true in many cases. But as believers, we're called to a higher standard. This means taking into account everything we say, even when we're joking with our friends. Because things said more than once develop into a pattern and a pattern can become a habit, and habits are hard to break. Then one day you find yourself saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and completely crushing his or her spirit. I guess what I'm trying to say is we all need to keep ourselves in check. Are the meditations of our hearts really pleasing to God? Isn't He the only One who matters anyway?

There's a song by Rebecca St. James called "Mirror" in which she says, "may the words of my mouth please You, dear God... take me, make me an image of You. Lord, I want to mirror You." What do you see when you look in the mirror?

Your Grace is Enough

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


It has been a long two months since I last posted in my so-called "blog of encouragement;" the sole purpose of which was to uplift my brothers and sisters in Christ. Friends, I must apologize for failing to do what God has called me to. In my blogging absence, I have endured much mentally and emotionally that has kept me from posting. I felt I had nothing to give. This is never true! God has given me so much, yet my finite human mind forgets time and again how sufficient His grace is. Why do I fall so often in front of the One who gave me everything? I guess the simple answer is that I'm human. I struggle with that... my humanity.

I always bring you something out of my own conviction when I come to type. Often I find that whatever God is using to encourage me in my life echoes what you all are going through (and I use the word "all" lightly knowing my readership...) But for the handful that do read, I feel I must persevere. I have had a highly stressful week. I have a lot on my plate, a lot going on, and I keep freaking out. Every time I do this, I hear a still, small voice saying "My grace is sufficient." And I've been ignoring it. Then this morning, I'm reading The Unquenchable Worshipper by Matt Redman for one of my classes (the chapter I should have read for Monday, but I digress...) and through his words it becomes so clear. I have been missing the point this entire time!

Redman talks about when Paul and Silas were in prison. They had been severely beaten, thrown into jail, and had their feet in stocks. If anyone had a reason to let their circumstances dictate their mood, it was them. But what did they do? They sang praises to God! Can you imagine being in that situation? Suddenly my massive amount of homework, my car troubles, my finances- they don't seem so big. Has God ever not provided? Has He ever let me down? Of course the answer is a resounding NO! So why would He start now? I am just wondering how much of His beauty I've missed this week because I was filled with worry and doubt...

In one of my classes last week we watched a short devotional video. The interviewer went around asking people what was most important to them in life. Most said they weren't sure. Some said money, family, their health, or some other facet of this American life. One person said God. Then a simple question filled the screen: "What is most important to God?" The answer? YOU! I hate those chain emails that circulate, but the best line from one I always remember goes, "If God has a fridge, your picture would be on it." He is our Dad, first and foremost. We are His children and He only wants what is best for us. It might hurt sometimes, but His grace is sufficient. It was enough for Paul and Silas- it's enough for you and me.

Your Grace is Enough

by Chris Tomlin

Great is Your faithfulness oh God

You wrestle with the sinner's heart

You lead us by still waters and to mercy

And nothing can keep us apart

So remember Your people

Remember Your children

Remember Your promise Oh God

Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough for me

Great is Your love and justice

God You use the weak to lead the strong

You lead us in the song of Your salvation

And all Your people sing along

So remember Your people

Remember Your children

Remember Your promise Oh God

Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough for me

Your grace is enough

Heaven reaching down to us

Your grace is enough for me

God I see your grace is enough

I'm covered in your love

Your grace is enough for me